Lubricating apparatus



May 11, 1965 c. R. DEAKIN 2,

LUBRI CAT ING APPARATUS Filed Nov. 18, 1963 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR M64 E mm DEAKIN cym R G By zfiw ATTORNEY-5 May 11, 1965 c. R. DEAKIN 3,182,862

LUBRICATING APPARATUS Filed Nov. 18, 1963 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 54 INVENTOR CYR/ REGHY L [AKIN 3 KQYMIDATTORNEYS United States Patent 'ice 3,182,862v LUBRICATING APPARATUS Cyril R. De, Oadhy, England, assignor of one-half to Hosiery Equipment Limited, Leicester, England, a British company Filed Nov. 18, 1963, Ser. No. 324,402 12 Claims. (Cl. 222-255) This invention is for improvements in or relating to lubricating apparatus and has for one of its objects to provide a simple and eifective apparatus whereby lubricant can be supplied at a plurality of different points periodically in quantities that can readily be adjusted to suit requirements.

In accordance with the invention there is provided lubricating apparatus comprising a plurality of plunger pump units associated with a common supply of lubricant and associated respectively with separate feeder outlets, power operated cam means for operating said plungers in succession to cause them to deliver measured quantities of lubricant to their respective feeder outlets at different times, and means whereby the quantity of lubricant delivered by each pump unit at each operation may be varied to suit requirements. The plurality of pump units are mounted in sequential arrangement which may be varied to suit particular needs. Such arrangement permits them to be operated at regular timed intervals in sequence by a common cam means which is power driven. The cam means may derive its movement from a constant speed electric motor.

Advantageously the plunger pumps are individually fitted with springs to urge their plungers in the direction of their operative strokes and the return strokes are performed under the action of the cam means. The plungers of the pumps may be fitted with projecting pins carrying adjustable abutment screws which co-operate with fixed abutments to limit the operative strokes of the plungers. Thus different plungers may be set to have different extents of operative stroke and therefore they will deliver different quantities of lubricant when operated by the cam means.

The plunger pumps are conveniently arranged in a circular row and operated by cam means common to them all rotating within the row of pump units. The assembly of pump units may be contained in a cylindrical casing which may form a lubricant reservoir and have a transparent wall through which the level of lubricant and the operation of the units can be observed. The pins of the plungers conveniently project inwardly of the circular row to engage with the edge of a snail cam mounted on the end of a central rotatable spindle. This may be driven by an electric driving motor through a reduction gearing.

The foregoing and other provisions of the invention are incorporated in a convenient form of construction which is illustrated by way of example in the accompanying drawings and will now be described with reference to the drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of apparatus in accordance with the invention,

FIGURE 2 is an elevation view partly in cross section of the apparatus in FIG. 1,

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged central cross sectional view showing the construction of one way valves used with the apparatus, and i FIGURE 4 is a perspective view of an operating cam.

Referring firstly to FIG. 1 the apparatus comprises a cylindrical casing indicated generally at having a base 11 and cover 12. 7 On the top of the cover 12 there is a reduction gear unit shown in outside view at 13 and above that an electric driving motor contained in a casing 14 and energised through leads 15. The base 11 and cover 12 are separated by spacing rods 16 at suitable intervals 3,l82,862 Patented May 11, 1965 circumferentially and attached through such rods by screws (not shown). Through the rods 16 the base 11 and cover 12 are braced together so as to hold between them in suitable grooves a cylindrical side wall 17 formed of transparent material. The lower edge of the wall 17 fits with a liquid tight seal in the groove of the base 11.

Mounted within the casing there is a circumferential row of plunger pumps comprising pump cylinders 18 which may be formed in one place with the base 11 or separately fitted thereto and plungers 19 which reciprocate in the cylinders 18. The cylinders 18 are joined together with one another as a complete ring or block which has a peripheral flange 20 extending outwardly therefrom and vertical slots 21 and 22 formed externally and internally alongside the bores of the cylinders 18. The plungers 19 are provided at their upper ends with pins or projections 23 extending transversely of them to reach inwardly and outwardly through the slots 21 and 22. Each of the pins 23 carries at its outer part an adjustable screw 24 forming an adjustable abutment to co-operate with the fixed abutment formed by the flange 20. Above the top of the block of cylinders 18 there is mounted an inverted dished top piece 25 which is fitted in fixed position on to the block of cylinders 18 and has bores 26 aligned with the bores of the cylinders 18. The bores 26 contain compression springs 27 to act on the pistons to urge them downwardly.

Within the ring of cylinders 18 there is rotatably mounted on an anti-friction bearing comprising races 28 and 29 and a row of balls 30, a snail cam 31. The latter is shown in FIG. 4 and comprises a bottom disc 32 and an upstanding peripheral wall 33 the upper edge of which indicated at 34 is of spiral form to provide the camming action. This cam edge 34 co-operates with the inner ends of the pins 23. The snail cam 31 is secured to the lower end of a spindle 35 the upper end of which is connected by a detachable dog coupling 36 to the output spindle of the reduction gear in the casing 31 which spindle is concentric with the cylindrical wall 17 of the casing'10. The spindle 35 is so arranged that an enlarged part 37 of its coupling bears down through a bearing sleeve 38 against the top of the top piece 25 to retain the latter on the block of cylinders 18. The location of the top piece thereon is conveniently secured by dowels or similar means.

The apparatus is adapted to be operated in upstanding attitude as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 and may be supported by a mounting bracket at a convenient place on a machine such as a knitting machine with which the lubricating apparatus is to be used. Such bracket may be attached to the base 11 or cover plate 12 of the apparatus. With the motor in casing 11 in operation it is arranged to drive the spindle 35 at constant speed through the reduction gearing in casing 13, the speed being suitably chosen or adjusted to suit requirements. As the spindle 35 rotates the snail cam 31 is driven at constant speed to cause the pins 23 of the several plungers 19 to ride up the cam edge 34, thereby raising their plungers, and then be released in sequence by the cam edge 34 on riding past the peak thereof indicated "at 39 in FIG. 4. As each plunger is released its spring 27 will force it downwardly through a stroke the lower end ofwhich is determined by engagement with the bottom end of the screw 24.with the fixed abutment 20. Thus the stroke of each plunger 19 can be varied individually by adjustment of its screw 24. The

bores of cylinders 18 lead to outlet apertures 40 in the base 11 which are fitted with screw-in pipe connections 41 each containinga one-way valve 42. Further the block containing the cylinders :18 is formed externally at a The cylindrical casing forms a reservoir for liquid lubricant which may substantially fill the casing but in any case submerges the inlet ports 43 and usually the whole of the pistons 19. Thus when the plungers 19 are raised by operation of the snail cam 31 each of the ports 43 is opened in turn to admit fresh lubricant to the cylinders 18 the lubricant being drawn therein by the upward movement of the plungers 19. When each plunger is released by the cam 31 it is moved downwardly by a spring 27 so as first of all to close the appropriate inlet port 43 and then continue with a stroke of controlled length to eject lubricant through the corresponding outlet 40 and one way valve 42.

The casing 10 conveniently has a filler opening 44 7 formed in the cover 12 and fitted with a movable closure cap. The opening 44 fits into a filter casing 45 through the filter screen of which the lubricant must pass on entering the casing.

FIGURE 3 shows details of the construction of each pipe connection 41 and its one-way valve. Each connection has a short stem 46 to screw into the appropriate hole 40 and it is formed with a stepped bore 47' in which there is mounted a valve body 48 having fitted around it an elastic or resilient sleeve 49 preferably formed of Neoprene or similar rubber like material having oil resistant properties. The valve body 48 and sleeve 49 fit closely in the stepped bore 47, the body 48 is formed with a central inlet passage 50 terminating at its delivery end in a transverse hole 51 opening on to the side of the valve body 48 near its lower end. Thus the valve body 48- andsleeve 49 act in the manner of a bicycle tyre valve to allow passage of fluid downwards and out of the hole 51 to escape between the lower part of the valve body 43 and the resilient sleeve 49 through the pipe connection 41. On the other hand the resilient sleeve 49 effectively prevents any flow upwardly through the body by sealing the hole 51. The stepped bore 47 with the pipe connection 41 extends to a central narrower bore 52 beyond which there is an enlarged stepped and screwed bore 53, 54 for the reception of a pipe end fitting of a delivery pipe.

In the lubricating apparatus illustrated provision is made for supplying up to ten diiferent pipe connections 41 with lubricant, there being ten pump units 18, 19 arranged in a circular row around the'aXis of the spindle 35. The apparatus may however be provided with a larger or smaller number of pump units to suit particular requirements. If any one of the several outlets 46 is not required to supply lubricant it may be fitted with a closure plug and the corresponding plunger be set to remain in a raised in-active position by means of its adjusting screw 24 or other wise.

It will be understood that by use of the improved apparatus lubricant can be supplied at a plurality of difierent lubricating points on a machine periodically in quantities that can be readily adjusted to suit requirements and particularly diifer'ent requirements at different parts of the machine. For instance at some points only a slow rate of lubrication may be needed in which case the pump unit supplying the pipe for such a lubrication point will have its plunger'll9 adjusted by means of 'its screw 24 so. asto deliver only a small amount of lubricant, at each actuation, while a pump unit delivering lubricant to a different lubricating point at which a faster rate of lubrication is needed will have its adjusting screw 24 set to allow a longer lubricant delivering stroke of its plunger 19 so that at. each actuation the required larger amount of lubricant will be supplied. V

The construction :of the apparatus with the plunger pumps '18, 19 immersed in a reservoir of lubricant forming the supply to the pumps'not only makesfor compactness of construction but also simplifies the feed of the lubricant to the pumps. Compactness of arrangement and simplicityof operation are also obtained by having the plunger pumps arranged in a circular row around the cam operating spindle of'the apparatus, and by having the cylindrical wall 17 of the apparatus made transparent, the lubricant level in the reservoir and the action of the plunger pumps are readily visible at all times.

It will be understood that various changes in the construction of the lubricating apparatus may be made in practising the invention.

What I claim is:

l. Lubricating apparatus comprising a plurality of plunger type pump units the plunger of each unit having a suction stroke and an operative discharge stroke associated with a common supply of lubricant and associated respectively with separate feeder outlets, a plurality of resilient members each mounted for urging the plunger of one of said pump units in the direction of its operative stroke, a driven cam means positioned for operating said plungers in successionin their return strokes against said resilient members for delivering measured quantities cl lubricant to their respective feeder outlets at different times and means for varying the quantity of lubricant delivered by each pump unit at each operative stroke thereof.

2. Lubricating apparatus according to claim 1 wherein projecting pins are provided on said plungers, fixed abutments are provided on said apparatus and adjustable screws are carried bysaid pins for co-operating with said fixed abutments to limit the operative strokes of said plungers.

3. Lubricating apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said plunger type pump units are arranged in a circular row and said cam means is positioned within said circular row.

4. Lubricating apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said plunger type pump units are arranged in a circular row, pins are provided on said plungers projecting inwardly of said circular row and said cam means includes a rotatably supported cam within said circular row having a cam edge cooperating with said pins for moving said plungers in their return strokes.

5. Lubricating apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said plunger type pump units are arranged in an upright position in a circular row, pins are provided on said plungers projecting inwardly of said circular row and said cam means includes an upright spindle extending parallel to the axis of said pump units within said circular row and a snail cam fixedly mounted on said spindle and having a cam edge cooperating with said pins for moving said plungers in their return strokes.

6. Lubricating apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said plunger type pump units are arranged in a circular row, pins are provided on said plungers projecting inwardly of said circular row, said cam means includes a rotatably supported cam within said circular row having a cam edge cooperating with said pins for moving said plungers in their return strokes, fixed abutments are provided on said apparatus, said pins extend outwardly of .said circular row, and adjustable screws are carried by said pins for cooperating with said fixed abutments to determine the extent of the operative strokes of said plungers under the action of said resilient means.

7. Lubricating apparatus according to claim 1 wherein one-way valves are each connected to the outlet of one of said plunger type pump units permitting only the discharge of lubricant by the action of said plungers and lubricant feeder pipes connected to said one-way valves.

8. Lubricating apparatus according to claim 1 including a cylindrical lubricant reservoir and said plunger type pump units are mounted upright within said reservoir in a circular row, said pump units each having a cylinder for said plungers with inlets through which the lubricant is one of said plunger type pump units and each one-way valve includes a hollow stem with a lateral discharge opening and a resilient sleeve surrounding saidstem andnor mally closing said discharge opening.

' 10. Lubricating apparatus according to claim 1 including a cylindrical lubricant reservoir having a transparent sidewall and said plunger type pump units are mounted within said reservoir being visible through said reservoir side Wall. r V 11. Lubricating apparatus according to claim 1 including a cylindrical lubrication rescrvoin'a base having said reservoir upstanding thereon said plunger type units are positioned Within said reservoir, said cam means is positioned withinsaid reservoir," constant drive means is positioned above said reservoin'a'nd a spindle extends from said drive means to said cam means for operating the same.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,078,890 11/13 Woerner 103173 1,690,067 10/28 Weeks 222-255 X 2,142,257 1/ 39 Saeta 222255 X 2,540,328 2/51 Gray 103173 X 2,709,538 5/55 Harrington 222-255 X LOUIS J. DEMBO, Primary Examiner. 

1. LUBRICATING APPARATUS COMPRISING A PLURALITY OF PLUNGER TYPE PUMP UNITS THE PLUNGER OF EACH UNIT HAVING A SUCTION STROKE AND AN OPERATIVE DISCHARGE STROKE ASSOCIATED WITH A COMMON SUPPLY OF LUBRICANT AND ASSOCIATED RESPECTIVELY WITH SEPARATE FEEDER OUTLETS, A PLURALITY OF RESILIENT MEMBERS EACH MOUNTED FOR URGING THE PLUNGER OF ONE OF SAID PUMP UNITS IN THE DIRECTION OF ITS OPERATIVE STROKE, A DRIVEN CAM MEANS POSITIONED FOR OPERATING SAID PLUNGERS IN SUCCESSION IN THEIR RETURN STROKES AGAINST SAID RESILIENT MEMBERS FOR DELIVERING MEASURED QUANTITIES OF LUBRICANT TO THEIR RESPECTIVE FEEDER OUTLETS AT DIFFERENT TIMES AND MEANS FOR VARYING THE QUANTITY OF LUBRICANT DELIVERED BY EACH PUMP UNIT AT EACH OPERATIVE STROKE THEREOF. 